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Here's another way to look at it, we're grossing around $100k a year and only managing to save about $25k of it. I don't understand how a family that makes $60k a year (about 3 full time minimum wage jobs) manages at all. Our lifestyle is not opulent.

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That is entirely dependent on where you live. Plenty of people live quite well on 60k (which is the median household income in the U.S.). Obviously not in San Francisco or New York.

This is absolutely true. I live in Seattle and housing is a huge part of this equation. It's worth noting, though, that even here we still see a large need for low-paying jobs (many have in fact been recently deemed essential). I know we would likely not be able to gross as much in another region either.

Is it fair to say that low income earners in New York and San Francisco should move somewhere else to have kids? Will we only have McDonald's in Ohio?

In this country you are either rich or some flavor of poor. Simplistic as it sounds, I won’t be able to “exhale” until I am grossing at least $400k annually. I am far from it, and I feel it. I can hardly save at the moment. Health care is a big bite as well. Even w an employer plan. Still have to come up w a $3500 deductible before costs are shared. Not whining. Just saying that even though I have a decent monthly check, I am poor.

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